Casket lighting fixture

ABSTRACT

A casket lighting fixture to illuminate a burial casket on display wherein the lighting fixture includes a base support member cooperable with the bier which supports the casket. The bier is provided with an internal X-frame for rigidity and the lighting fixture base includes provision to fit over the top of the bier and engage the X-frame and the bier and is held in firm supporting relationship on the bier by the weight of the casket itself.

United States Patent 1191 Relly Feb. 12, 1974 CASKET LIGHTING FIXTURE Primary Examiner-Richard L. Moses R tI-I.Rll,72llM ktPL, [76] Inventor fzg g z 45216 ar e Attorney, Agent, or FirmCurtis, MOITIS & Safford 22 F] d: 24, 1973 l l Jan 57 ABSTRACT [2| App]. No.: 326,247

A casket lighting fixture to illuminate a burial casket v on display wherein the lighting fixture includes a base UuS. CI- R, R upport member cooperable'with the bier Sup. CI- ports the casket The bier is provided an internal Field Of Search....- 240/2 R, 1 R, 2 R X-frame for rigidity and the lighting fixture base includes provision to fit over the top of the bier and en References Cited gage the X-frame and the bier and is held in firm sup- UNITED STATES PATENTS porting relationship onthe bier by the weight of the 1,912,035 5/1933 Grant 240 2 R casket itselfl,47l,023 10/1923 Bien 240/2 R 2,179,409 11/1939 Hulsart 240/2 R 7 5 Draw PATENTEB FEB] 21974 SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG.

1 CASKET LIGHTING FIXTURE The present invention relates to lighting fixtures and more particularly to lighting fixtures adapted to illuminate burial caskets.

Lighting fixtures to illuminate burial caskets should have the desirable characteristics of being unobtrusive and yet able to be mounted firmly and in a stable position to best illuminate the casket. Preferably, the casket lighting fixture should be mounted in association with the casket display to avoid .unsightly floor mounted lighting fixtures.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a casket lighting fixture which provides a firm and stable support for a lighting fixture to illuminate a burial casket on display.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a casket lighting fixture which is firmly and stably supported in conjunction with the casket display assembly to avoid unsightly and unobtrusively supported lighting fixtures.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a casket lighting fixture of improved appearance and functional construction.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a casket display assembly with the lighting fixture of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base of the casket lighting fixture of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 1.

With reference now to the drawing and particularly FIG. 1, the casket lighting fixture of the present invention is shown supported in a display assembly for a casket l2 wherein the casket is supported upon a pair of biers 14 mounted within a casket display base 16.

The casket support biers 14 are perferably square in cross-section and include an exterior sheath segment 18 having four sides 18a, 18b, 18c and 18d, respectively, and an internal X-frame 20. The X-frame 20 includes interconnecting panel members 22 and 24 which extend at right angles to each other between opposite corners of the exterior sheath to impart rigidity and load bearing capability to the biers. The biers are located within the display base 16 over locating slats 26 which fit within the respective, biers. Once in place, the biers 14 provide a spaced support capable of supporting a burial casket 12 thereon.

The casket lighting fixture 10 includes a base member 28 which rests upon and interlocks with bier 14, as will be explained more fully hereinbelow. Extending upwardly from the base member 28 is a vertical support 30 which in turn supports a substantially horizontal support 32 near its upper end. Supported by the horizontal support member 32 are a pair of light members.

in plan and depending flanged portions 42, 44, 46 and 48 extending downwardly from each edge of flat surface 40. Adjacent one corner of flat surface 40, for example near the intersection of sides 42 and 48, a through bore 50 is provided to receive a threaded extension of the vertical support 30 which is appropriately engaged on the underside by a washer and nut to secure the vertical support member to the base 28. Opposite aperture 40, for example at the intersection of flanges 44, and 46, a cutout segment 52 is formed in the depending flanges 44 and 46. Cutout 52 is adapted to fit over the intersection 54 of the panels 22 and 24 which form the X-frame within the bier 14. Thus, flange 44 and flange 46 straddle the intersection 54 of the X-frame. An additional cutout is made in the other end of flange 44, such as cutout 56, and a cutout 58 is similarly provided in the other end of flange 46. Cutouts 56 and 58 are adapted to accommodate the exterior sheath 18 of the bier 14 adjacent the corners where sides 18b and 18c and sides 18d and 18c intersect. Thus, as seen in FIG. 1, the base 28 for the lighting fixture has approximately half its surface area, in the form of a triangular configuration, supported over the bier 14 with the cutouts 52, 56 and 58 providing an interfitting fit and a positive location for the base 28 on the bier. The remaining half of the surface area of base member 28, also triangular configuration, overhangs the bier 14 and the vertical support 30 of the casket lighting fixture extends upwardly from the overhanging portion of the lighting fixture base. Once the lighting fixture base has been placed in this position and the bier positively located in its appropriate location on the frame 16, the casket 12 is placed on the biers 14 and the weight of the casket 12 on the flat surface of the lighting fixture base 28 positively clamps and retains the lighting fixture base in a firm supporting relationship on the biers 14.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the light fixtures 34 and 36 are the type which include self-contained male receptacles 60 which plug directly into an outlet on support member 32 so that the electrical wiring for the light fixture can be carried through the support members 32 and 30 without being seen. The light fixtures also include spring plates 62 which yieldingly fit over the upper edge of the support member 32 and include lower brackets 64 which extend over the lower portion of support member 32 and are retained by set screws 66. The light fixtures also include suitable switches 68 to activate the lights.

As seen in FIG. 4, the topper sign 38 includes a threaded. extension member 70 which is threadably received within a threaded bore 72 in a plug insert 74 in the upper end of the vertical member 30. Thus, the sign may be selectively removed or displayed forappropriate purposes by simply threading the threaded member 70 in the plug 74.

The lower end of the vertical member 30, see FIG. 5, is also provided with a plug insert 76 which includes a threaded cylindrical member 78 extending therefrom which extends through a bushing 80 fitted within the through bore 50 in base 28. A suitable nut 82 and washer 84 are engaged about the threaded end member 78 to secure the vertical member 30 to base 28. The electrical line 86 extends down through vertical member 30 out aperture 88 to be plugged into a suitable electrical outlet and is thus hidden so that unsightly wiring is not noticeable in the lighting fixture of the present invention.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a convenient, stably mounted casket lighting fixture which is positively supported in a casket display assembly in an unobtrusive manner.

What is claimed is: l. A lighting fixture adapted to illuminate a burial casket display comprising:

a base member, said base member including a plate member having an upper flat surface area, a lighting fixture assembly extending upwardly from said base member, flange members extending downwardly from the edges of said flat surface area, a plurality of cutouts provided in said depending flanges at spaced locations, and said cutouts adapted to engage a structural support surface to positively locate said lighting fixture base member. 2. A lighting fixture as defined in claim 1 wherein said base member is substantially rectangular in plan and said flanges extend downwardly from each edge of I said rectangular configuration, and said cutouts are provided adjacent three of the corners of said rectangular shaped base member.

3. A lighting fixture as defined in claim 2 wherein said structural support surface comprises a structure having an external rectangular configuration in plan provided with an internal X-frame for rigidity and one of said cutouts engages said internal X-frame at the juncture of said frame while the other cutouts engage said external structure.

4. A lighting fixture as defined in claim 3 wherein said base member has a portion of its area disposed 4 over said structural support surface while the remaining area of said base member extends beyond said support structure. 5

5. A lighting fixture in combination with a burial cas- 5 ket display assembly'comprising:

a base member for said lighting fixture,

said base member including a plate member having an upper flat surface area with said base member being substantially rectangular in plan,

flange members extending downwardly from each edge of said flat surface area,

at least three cutouts provided in said depending flanges at spaced locations adjacent the corners of said rectangular configuration,

a casket support bier comprising an external surface member of substantially rectangular configuration provided with an internal X-frame support member, Y

one of said cutouts of said base member engaged about said X-frame support member at the juncture of said member and the other of said cutouts engaged about said external surface member whereby a portion of said base member having a triangular configuration in plan is supported over said casket support bierand the remaining portion overhangs said bier.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein a lighting fixture assembly is provided extending upwardly from said base member portion overhanging said bier.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 including a burial casket supported on said bier and resting in said base member portion supported on said bier wherein the weight of said casket on said lighting fixture base member positively retains said lighting fixture base member on said bier support. 

1. A lighting fixture adapted to illuminate a burial casket display comprising: a base member, said base Member including a plate member having an upper flat surface area, a lighting fixture assembly extending upwardly from said base member, flange members extending downwardly from the edges of said flat surface area, a plurality of cutouts provided in said depending flanges at spaced locations, and said cutouts adapted to engage a structural support surface to positively locate said lighting fixture base member.
 2. A lighting fixture as defined in claim 1 wherein said base member is substantially rectangular in plan and said flanges extend downwardly from each edge of said rectangular configuration, and said cutouts are provided adjacent three of the corners of said rectangular shaped base member.
 3. A lighting fixture as defined in claim 2 wherein said structural support surface comprises a structure having an external rectangular configuration in plan provided with an internal X-frame for rigidity and one of said cutouts engages said internal X-frame at the juncture of said frame while the other cutouts engage said external structure.
 4. A lighting fixture as defined in claim 3 wherein said base member has a portion of its area disposed over said structural support surface while the remaining area of said base member extends beyond said support structure.
 5. A lighting fixture in combination with a burial casket display assembly comprising: a base member for said lighting fixture, said base member including a plate member having an upper flat surface area with said base member being substantially rectangular in plan, flange members extending downwardly from each edge of said flat surface area, at least three cutouts provided in said depending flanges at spaced locations adjacent the corners of said rectangular configuration, a casket support bier comprising an external surface member of substantially rectangular configuration provided with an internal X-frame support member, one of said cutouts of said base member engaged about said X-frame support member at the juncture of said member and the other of said cutouts engaged about said external surface member whereby a portion of said base member having a triangular configuration in plan is supported over said casket support bier and the remaining portion overhangs said bier.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein a lighting fixture assembly is provided extending upwardly from said base member portion overhanging said bier.
 7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 including a burial casket supported on said bier and resting in said base member portion supported on said bier wherein the weight of said casket on said lighting fixture base member positively retains said lighting fixture base member on said bier support. 